It is natural for parents to worry about the safety and quality of care provided to their children. Especially if we are busy at work and have to leave them in the care of daycare centres. When making the right choice about day care, there are some important things to consider making sure you are making the right decision for your child when choosing Cheshire learning and development centres.
So what exactly makes a good quality child care centre and how do we figure out what to look for when searching for the best options? Here's some advice by Helene Goldnadel a life coach.
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Everybody and every department in a childcare centre have a part to play. For quality childcare, no one is exempt from raising a child. It is a collective effort and everyone, right from the top, such as curriculum specialists and administrators, to the individual care givers, plays a role in how your child will develop.
Consider how the whole system works together as a whole towards the same goal, if you can see inconsistencies or troublesome personalities in management, then this might be a warning sign that you should put your child somewhere else
The environment
The physical building also plays a part in how your child responds to learning. Is it clean and organized? Ultimately, a day care centre should be clean and tidy to avoid accidents. It is a good sign that your centre is a smooth running and effective facility when everything is organized and neat.
Also, will the children have enough space for fun, games and other activities in relation to how many children there will be attending during the course of the day? It might be a great nursery, but if it is oversubscribed and there aren't enough facilities or space then your child will suffer.
Staff and curriculum
You should inquire about the way staff handle behavioral issues and other procedures so that you can predict how your child will be treated. There are different methods and tactics that carers use, but every child is different so you must consider how your own child will respond to their environment.
There is also the presence of curriculum. The structure of schedules show at a glance the quality of services provided at the day care. Do they observe reading time, quiet time, nap, and physical activity time and also include individual activities? An organized curriculum helps to stimulate the mind of the child and makes daily life more fun and interesting.
Something else to note is the training level and standards of staff. Do they have the necessary credentials to be caring for children of particular ages? Do they have much experience in this field?
Emergency training is an important one such as CPR, first aid, fire and emergency evacuation. These are basic things but if you can rest assured that staff are properly prepared for these eventualities then you can be at peace while you leave your children for the day.
What's for lunch?
What are the children served for lunch and snack time? Although you can't control every aspect of their life at learning and development centres, you should at least ensure that they are being served fresh and healthy food!
Does the centre have an in-house cook that prepares nutritious meals and not junk food? Because what your eats is important and can be likened to them receiving proper nurturing and care.
It is important to review the quality of a day care centre before committing your child there for any long periods of time. Ultimately, your child will likely to spend more time there than any other place during their important development years!
Also read: How Your Child Can Benefit From Counselling?
